Final Paper

America is a diverse country where there are many different cultures and many different backgrounds that people may come from. People want to come to America because of the freedoms that it has and because it is safer than other places around the world. Being a different race is hard for some people living in America because of the many stereotypes that may go on today. Marginalized Voices is the theme that leads to my thesis of how America should be a place where everyone is accepted, and while we think everyone is accepted, some people are still discriminated for their race or for who they are and what they believe.  

                The general point made by Lance Jeffers in his work My Blackness is the Beauty of this Land,  is that there is a love hate relationship with being a different race and with being black.  More specifically Jeffers love hate theme suggests and American salvation in our understandings of one another. He writes “My blackness is the beauty of this land, my blackness, tender and strong, wounded and wise, my blackness (p.611).” In this poem Jeffers only is suggesting that by being black it sets him apart and makes him different from everyone else. He is proud to be black, notice the title My Blackness Is the Beauty of the land. The poem says that his blackness is tender and strong, and wounded and wise. His blackness makes him wise and strong,  yet it also makes him wounded. This is an example of the love hate relationship that he has with being black. Jeffers also writes, “While I here standing black beside wrench tears from which the lies would suck the salt to make me more American than America…but yet my love and yet my hate shall civilize this land, this land’s salvation (p.611).” This quote explains that his love hate of being black will civilize the land and its salvation. In conclusion it is Jeffers belief that the love hate relationship of being black civilizes the land in which we live.

                In my view Jeffers is right, because at this time when the poem was written, it was really hard to be black and be an American as well. For example many blacks faced hardships back then and they did not let those hardships affect them and they stood up for what they knew was right. One person that comes to my mind when I was thinking of this was Rosa Parks.  She would not allow the person on the bus to just send her to the back of the bus just because she was black. This probably took an enormous amount of courage on her part to stand up for herself in a time that blacks were looked down upon.  The Jim Crow Laws were also being enacted at this time in the early 1900’s. The Jim Crow laws said that black Americans were separate but equal. Blacks and whites were separated in schools, stores, and any other public setting that they might be in at the time. Although some people might object that there was a love hate relationship with being black at this time, I maintain that it was a love hate relationship for many of the African Americans. Therefore, I conclude that the fact that many blacks had this love hate relationship with being the color that they were, this made them stronger and made them stand out as people who wanted to be respected for not just the color of their skin, but for who they were as individuals as well.

                The next work that I thought would be good to connection to my thesis of how some people are and were discriminated for their race, is Growing up Asian in America.  The general arugument made by Kesaya E. Noda in her work Growing up Asian in America, is that America has come a long way as far as accepting Japanese people into our country.  Noda still says it can sometimes be hard when people always stereotype Asians, and call her names such as an Asian woman. More specifically Noda suggests that her parents and grandparents had to deal with a lot of persecution, and she had to deal with different types of problems by being a Japanese American. She says that it was hard for her to feel like she was worth something. She felt like she was an alien in her own country. While she was going through trying to find out who she was, Noda was able to reminisce and find strength through what her parents and grandparents faced. Noda writes, “ “Weak.” I hear the voice from my childhood years. “Passive,” I hear. Our parents and grandparents were the ones who were put into those camps. They went without resistance; they offered cooperation as proof of loyalty to America (p.642).”  She found strength in knowing that her family was that cooperative just to show their loyalty towards America. She also wrote, “In those circumstacnes it was difficult to say, I’m a Japanese American. American had to do. Byt now I can say that I am a Japanese American. It means I have a place here in this country too (p.643).” In conclusion it is Noda’s belief that she too has a place in America now, and that America has come a long way in accepting Japanese Americans now.

                In my view Noda is right because I too think that America has come a long way in accepting a variety of different races and ethnicities. For example in this passage she tells about how her grandparents were in Japanese internment camps, and now that is looked back upon as wrong and America would never do that. Although some people might object that Americans are still racist, I maintain that America has come a long way and people are a lot more accepting than they ever used to be. Therefore I conclude that America is a great country that accepts many different types of people. All the different types of people is what makes our country and our culture unique. We are proud to be Americans.

                Next I am going to talk about Freedom and Responsibility.  The general argument made by Karl Shapiro in his work The Conscientious Objector, is that you can feel rage towards those who called you a traitor just because you object to something. More specifically Shapiro suggests that the mindset of the imprisoned objectior struggles with the rage of people calling you a traitor. In the description of the poem Shapiro asks us to consider whther they may be deemed heroes in their own right. He writes, “Yet wou who saved neither yourselves nor us are equally with those who shed the blood the heroes of our cause. Your conscience is what we come back to in the armistice (p.765).” One who objects and voices their opinion can be equally just as important as heroes who shed blood for our country. In this passage Shapiro is suggesting that one who always objects may get criticized for objecting but they are can be considered heroes for actually standing up for what they think and not being afraid to tell everyone their opinion. In conclusion it is Shapiro’s belief that an imprisoned objector can just as well be a hero for not just letting certain issues slide. They may be a hero if what they stand up for is justly right.

                In my view Shapiro is right because I think that if someone has an objection because we live in a country where we have the freedom of speech. I think that it takes a lot of courage for someone to object to something and then to have to deal with all the criticizing of the people telling them that they are a traitor and they are wrong. I think if the person who objects and stands up for what they think, can be considered a hero. Although some people may say that someone who always objects are not considered a hero, I maintain that someone who has the courage to object can be considered a hero. Therefore I conclude that people always have a certain view on something and when someone or something tries to contradict that view they get upset and try to make the person feel wrong for voicing their opinion, rather than trying to see how they view it and being respectful towards their views.  

                The general argument made by Vonnegut in his work Harrison Bergeron is that you can’t have government forced equality. More specifically forcing equality on people would make people rebel and cause a lot more problems in the society. He wties, “They were equal every which way. Nobody was smarter than anybody else. Nobody was better looking than anybody else (p.778).” In this passage Vonnegut is suggesting that if everyone were to be equal that it would take away the significance of being who you are. Bergeron is a character that decided to rebel against being equal with a ballerina. They danced and took off their handicaps. They were then shot for rebelling against the government. In conclusion, it is Vonnegut’s belief that if we were to have a equal society there would be a lot of trouble and a lot of problems in the society.

                In my view, Vonnegut is right because if everyone were to be equal then nobody would be unique and it would make a very bland society. People would get frustrated about being equal and would rebel. I know I would absolutely hate living in a society that was like this. The fact that Beregron stood up for himself and wouldn’t be viewed as just like everyone else, amazes me. For example he had courage to show off who he really was in a society where everyone was hiding under ugly masks and handicaps. He was very brave to show off his skills at dancing as well.  Although some people think we should all be equal, I think that it is our difference that makes us all unique. Therefore I conclude that I am glad everyone is different, because if everyone was the same it would be very boring.

                I conclude from all these passages that the color of our skin does not define who we are, and we need to accept people for whatever cultural background they may come from. I conclude that we need to think of the people who have a different opinion on something, and try to see where they are coming from before we ridicule them. We also need to realize that in this world everyone is different and that if we were all equal there would be no joys. Being different sets you apart as an individual. I think it is to important to remember that we do have voices that we can speak up if we don’t agree with something. I also think it is important for us to reflect upon the many freedoms that we have living in America. We are free to be different without being ridiculed. We are free to speak when we want to. We are free to worship how we want to and when we want to. We have so many freedoms and I think we need to stop and be grateful for all of those freedoms, and be grateful for all those people that made it so we can have a wonderful country to live in. I think it is amazing that we can look past all the different colors of peoples skins, all the different backgrounds, and all the different personalities, and be unified as one, we are unified as a country, and we are a part of United States of America.

Citations

Jeffers, L. (1970).  My blackness is the beauty of this land. That is the Question. (P. 611)

Noda, K.  E. (2007). Growing up Asian in America. That is the Question.  (Pp. 641-645)

Shapiro, K. (1944). The conscientious objector. That is the Question.  (P. 765)

Vonnegut, K.  (1961) Harrison Bergeron. That is the Question. (Pp.778-781)